Mating Season
by Sith Happens
Summary: When Castiel feels the urge to mate, the Angel of Thursday asks Dean for some pointers. But when Cas is drawn to the human woman like a moth to flame, awkwardness tends to go by the wayside. Smexy one-shot because I could.


Dean was alone at Bobby's, his brother and the older man having gone to pick up some sort of occult artifacts and books. The elder Winchester hadn't been interested and had stayed behind. But the other two had been gone for so long that Dean's stomach began to growl. Pushing aside the beer and goats' blood in the fridge, the hunter found what he was looking for. He pulled a pan out of one of Bobby's cabinets and plopped it on the stove, cranking up the heat under it. He'd cook the bacon first, then the hamburger patties in the bacon grease. It already sounded like heaven to him. He was just loading up his pieces of bread when he heard the all-too familiar flutter of wings. Turning to see Castiel, Dean began to take a bite of his burger.

"I wish to acquire a mate," came the smoky monotone voice.

The Winchester nearly choked on his bite, coughing out little crumbs of bread as he swallowed. "Whoa, Cas. I don't swing that way, man. I know you said we have some sort of profound bond, but that ain't it."

The angel let out a deep exasperated breath, narrowing his eyes at the human. "While you are not an unattractive man, Dean, I prefer female companionship."

"Oh," Dean replied, taking another bite with a nod. "Uh, thanks, I guess."

"You're quite welcome," Castiel returned a quick nod. "Now, I came seeking your expertise with women."

"You want me to teach you how to pick up chicks," the hunter asked incredulously, though he never did put his burger down. "What's brought this on, Cas? Some girl come along and ruffle your feathers?"

"No young woman has been in contact with my wings," Cas replied. "While we are not afflicted with most of the baser needs, upon occasion angels require a courtship and mating to maintain their health, both physically and psychologically. It would also seem this vessel requires a… release."

"A release? Learn a new euphemism," Dean teased, and he could've sworn he saw a slight blush creep into the angel's face. "I'm sorry, Cas, but this is some surreal bullshit. I thought angels were all just uptight assholes without dicks."

"On the contrary, Dean. Angels tend to be fairly well endowed. In fact—"

"Okay okay okay," the hunter interrupted with a cringe on his face, finally taking the last bite of his burger. "I don't need to hear all that. What exactly do you need my help for? Don't you guys have some sort of strict ritual for – I can't believe I'm going to say this – angel banging?"

"I believe you misunderstand the situation, Dean," Castiel tilted his head at the man. "If I were to mate with an angel, yes there would be very strict protocol. However, given the current situation in Heaven as well as how often I use this vessel, I have deemed it a wiser decision to mate with a human woman."

"Wow," was Dean's only response for the moment. However a thought struck him. "Didn't angels and humans getting it on cause a bunch of drama before?"

The angel gave another, smaller, sigh. "The nephilim were an unfortunate side effect of angels procreating vastly and indiscriminately. That is not indicative of all children born of a union of human and angel, though my intent is not necessarily to procreate."

The hunter nodded with a smirk. "So you're looking for a one night stand."

"Dean," Castiel's voice was a harsh warning, which somewhat startled the human. "This is not something to be taken so lightly."

"Alright, calm down," Dean tried to soothe the perturbed angel. "Didn't mean to piss you off. Now, I can try giving you pointers on how to score some…er, how to win over your mate or whatever. But there are some things I gotta know first. Like, what's your type?"

When Castiel tilted his head in confusion the hunter let out his own sigh. "What type of girl do you like?"

"I do not know what type of girl I like," Cas replied. "My interactions with women have been… limited."

"Well, that makes it easy," Dean retorted sarcastically. "We could always try a strip club again."

The glare from the angel was enough of an answer. "I will not enter another den of inequity. However, there is a place that seems to draw me."

"Draw you? As in, like, destiny," Winchester scoffed. "Didn't we fight against that sort of thing? You know, Team Free Will and all?"

"I believe it has little to do with destiny and more to do with human pheromones," Castiel answered.

"Pheromones," the hunter reiterated, still incredulous.

"Yes Dean," the angel nodded. "There is a scent there that I find greatly attractive."

"Well, where is it?"

Before Dean even had a chance to regret his question, Castiel had already zapped the both of them to a parking lot. "Damn it Cas! You gotta give a guy some warning!"

"I am sorry," Cas said sounding wholly insincere about it.

Dean snorted in annoyance and looked up at the building they stood in front of. "The Feasting Fox Pub? Cas, you dog!"

But the angel ignored the hunter, walking into the pub. Dean was right behind, fascinated by the entire situation. The inside of the building did indeed look like a pub, except maybe a bit better lighting. There were people at the tables eating and a few people at the bar drinking. Dean slapped his hands together and rubbed them furiously.

"Well, let's see," he began, scanning the patrons. "Oh, there are some cute blondes over there. That red-head is looking pretty sexy, plus she's got a friend…"

Castiel was ignoring his charge's prattle. Scanning the room himself, all senses heightened, he zeroed in on a young woman at the bar. She had a sweet scent of vanilla and honey and his body clenched with the need to approach.

"Her," the angel stated flatly, bringing the hunter's attention back.

Dean followed Cas's gaze, falling on a curvy girl at the bar. She was wearing jeans and a black tank top, dark hair cropped short with streaks of different colors shot through it. Winchester looked at his friend with a raised eyebrow. "The punk girl over there?"

"Yes, Dean," Castiel nodded solemnly. "She is where the scent originates. It beckons me, reminds me of home."

"Home? As in Heaven?" Dean blurted out. "Wow, she's really got a hold on you."

"Yes," the angel confirmed. "I have mentioned before that there are those humans among you that can gaze upon my true form. She is most likely one of them. Her presence is as you said before… ruffling my feathers."

Cas reached out with his Grace then, just a small tendril, just to see if he was right. It would mean so much to him if his mate could see him in all his glory. And he knew she had sensed it when she rolled her shoulders, turning to look in the direction of the two men. Dean smiled and tilted his head in acknowledgement. When he realized Cas was just staring, he elbowed the angel, who lifted his hand in a wave. She gave a sweet smile and a laugh shook her frame before she turned back to her drink.

"She sensed my Grace, Dean," Castiel informed the human. "She will be my mate."

"Now slow down Cas," the hunter cautioned, slapping a hand on the angel's shoulder. "Again, I can't believe I'm saying this, but don't you think you should talk to her first. Maybe get to know her a little. Human women don't normally take kindly when you start a conversation with sex."

"You are right, Dean," Cas acquiesced. "What should I say to her?"

Dean shook his head in amusement. "Why don't you start by introducing yourself? Maybe ask her her name?"

Castiel nodded in understanding, walking away from the hunter towards the bar. Silently he slid onto the stool next to the girl. She glanced at him before turning to face him with a broad smile. The simple action made him flush slightly. "Hello. My name is Castiel. What is your name?"

"Hi," she answered brightly. "My name's Maggie."

Without warning, the angel stood, walking away from the girl and her startled look. He scanned the pub and found Dean flirting with a young woman. Because she was of no interest to him, Castiel pulled the hunter away. "She said her name is Maggie. Now what do I do?"

"Good Lord, Cas," Dean barked, slapping a hand to his forehead. "Did you really just walk away from her?"

"I did as you instructed, Dean."

With a heavy sigh, the human shook his head. "Okay, listen. You need to go back over there and make some small talk with her. Try complimenting her. Be nice. Try to seem interesting, but for the love of God don't talk about being an angel. She will think you belong in a looney bin. And try not to act like a Vulcan."

Cas eyed him curiously. "What does a Roman god have to do with this?"

"Just get back over there," Dean ordered. As the angel began to pass him, he felt a surge of compassion, halting the other man just long enough to say "And good luck."

A curt nod was the only response as Castiel moved back to the girl's side. She turned back to him, amusement evident on her face. Not knowing exactly where to begin, the angel settled on "Maggie, you are… very beautiful."

"Oh," she chirped out, her red cheeks enticing to the angel. "Thank you. You're not so bad looking yourself Castiel."

"My true form is much grander," he began, then remembered what Dean had said. "But that is not something I am supposed to talk about."

Maggie shook her head a bit, the smile never leaving her face. The ruffling of her multicolored hair sent a wave of that scent toward him. He closed his eyes, reveling in the smell. Her soft giggle broke him from his thoughts.

"You don't talk to women much, do you?"

Cas looked sheepishly into her eyes. "Unfortunately, I am fairly inexperienced."

She touched the sleeve of his trench coat gently in understanding. "Well, let's have a little small talk then. Your name, Castiel, is lovely. Were your parents very religious?"

The angel thought for a moment, trying to figure out what Dean might have him say. "You could say that."

"I knew it," Maggie beamed. "Castiel is actually an Angel of Thursday in Christian lore."

"So you know me then," he sighed as though the weight of the world had left him momentarily. "That is a relief. My charge… my friend said you would think I was insane if I mentioned it."

Her burst of laughter caught Cas off guard, both with its suddenness and resonant sound. "That's funny. No, I just know a little bit about Judeo-Christian mythology is all. If you couldn't tell by the rebellious style, I used to be Catholic."

"Used to be," the angel mused, interested by this turn of conversation. "Did you lose your faith in God?"

"Now, you see, when it comes to God, I have no real answer either way," Maggie replied, taking a sip of the beer she had been neglecting. Her tongue shot out and licked away the heady foam, which intrigued Castiel further. "I did, however, lose my faith in the Church. Bunch of smelly old hypocritical farts who just never really want to face the fact that sometimes you have to adapt or die."

What she said was borderline blasphemous, but Cas couldn't help enjoying her sincerity… or the way her mouth moved as she talked. "Do you believe in angels?"

She gave an amused snort, taking another sip of beer as she smirked. "I've never had the pleasure of meeting an angel, though I'm sure if I did, I would try to be on my best behavior."

A smile flitted across Castiel's face then. Even to him it felt unusual. Perhaps he had been spending too much time with Dean Winchester, but a sudden urge overtook him then. "May I kiss you?"

"I dunno, Cas," Maggie teased, his pet name causing his skin to burn everywhere and his pants to feel a little too tight. "If you're inexperienced talking to women, I can't imagine you'd be very experienced kissing one."

"I believe you would be," he searched for the right term, all the while feeling his skin tingle in anticipation. "Pleasantly surprised."

She smiled broadly, a barely perceptible shiver running along her skin, and the angel could feel the connection with her solidify. "Well, alright. I guess you can kiss me."

Castiel stood to close the distance between them, his fingers ghosting over the softness of her chin as they leaned towards one another. When their lips touched it was like a bolt of lightning struck through them. Cas showed her his true form, wings spread out nearly encompassing the whole pub, his Grace brighter than the noonday Sun. He spoke to her soul, that sweet smell softening his soldier's heart. And he could not help but make his intentions known to her.

"Oh," she sighed in surprise, pulling away from him and grounding them back to their physical bodies. A small amount of reverent fear etched her face, though her eyes never left the fathomless blue depths of his. "You really are an… And you want me to be your…"

"My mate, Maggie," he growled gently, already feeling possessive, already craving more of her. Castiel had heard others of his garrison speak of these feelings, has seen humans act them out over the centuries, but he never could have imagined them coming on so quick and strong. It was more than just lust or a claiming, he needed her.

He loved her.

Kissing her again, he showed her all it would mean if she accepted him as a mate. The feel of wind brushing over their bare skin as they rode the currents in the atmosphere; their eyes locked as he buried himself deep inside her. The two of them dancing through a thunderhead as lightning lit up the sky. Her straddling his hips in the throes of passion, her fingers clutching at his iridescent black feathers. Those wings wrapping around her lovingly, protecting her as she drifted to sleep against his chest with the promise of never, ever leaving her.

"Yes," Maggie whispered against his lips, her hands fisted into his trench coat. Her body quivered against him, his own body responding in kind. "Please, Castiel. I'm yours."

Dean gave a startled jump when the angel suddenly appeared in front of him, the girl from the bar tucked under his arm protectively. There was something different about his face. He was almost… glowing.

"I no longer require your instruction, Dean," Castiel smiled, really smiled. "I have acquired my mate."

Dumbfounded, all the hunter could say was "Well, that was fast."

"You would never believe the things he's shown me," the girl giggled. And Dean was shocked to see the pure love on Castiel's face as the angel looked down at her, running the pad of his thumb against her cheek bone.

"Thank you, my friend," the angel beamed, clapping a hand on Dean's shoulder in an oddly familiar gesture. "You can go back to your dinner."

Cas reached for the hunter's temple, but paused a moment before adding "I truly pray you feel like I do one day, Dean. I hope you find your mate."

A split second later, the hunter found himself back in Bobby's kitchen. He shook his head with a small, perhaps a little sad, smile. But he let it go and picked up his cold burger before taking a large bite out of it.


End file.
